Congress Spokesperson Shama Mohamed Draws Backlash After Backing Professor in IIT Bombay Student Death Case Outrage erupted after Congress leader Shama Mohamed defended an accused faculty member and questioned student resilience following the death of a BTech student at IIT Bombay. A major political and social controversy has erupted following the tragic death of a second-year undergraduate student at IIT Bombay. The young scholar, enrolled in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, allegedly took his own life on the evening of September 18. In the wake of the incident, the student's father leveled severe allegations against exam invigilator and faculty member Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, accusing him of relentless mental harassment and casteist slurs over the preceding three months. Following a formal complaint from the family, an FIR was registered against the faculty member, and the case was subsequently handed over to the Mumbai Crime Branch for a comprehensive probe. Congress Leader's Remarks Ignite Public Backlash The situation escalated significantly after Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed publicly weighed in on the tragedy. Defending the accused professor, she openly questioned the resilience of modern students by remarking that individuals from her generation were far tougher mentally. The stance drew sharp criticism from student associations and social activists, who described the remarks as irresponsible and tone-deaf toward institutional pressures. Examination Hall Episode and Family Allegations Details emerging from the inquiry indicate that the student was allegedly caught with a mobile phone during a mid-semester examination on Friday. According to institutional statements, the student was found in possession of the device inside the testing venue, where he had purportedly uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to generate answers. The administration maintained that no formal disciplinary proceedings had been launched against him prior to the tragedy. However, the deceased scholar's father firmly disputed this account, asserting that the phone incident was merely being used as a pretext. He insisted that Professor Suryanarayana Doolla had been systematically targeting the student for months, subjecting him to caste-based insults. Considering the gravity of the accusations and the heightened sensitivity surrounding campus discrimination, the Mumbai Police formally transferred the investigation files to the Crime Branch. Faculty Defense and Mental Health Demands Explaining her perspective on the controversy, Shama Mohamed stated that she stood with the professor in the matter. She maintained that reprimanding a student caught cheating and asking them to exit the testing room constitutes ordinary academic procedure. She further suggested that if the student felt targeted on the basis of his caste, a formal complaint should have been lodged with the campus SC/ST cell. Reflecting on parenting and schooling norms, Mohamed observed that previous generations were regularly scolded by guardians and instructors for wrongdoing without suffering breakdowns because they possessed greater mental fortitude. Alongside her defense of the educator, she called upon academic institutions to prioritize student wellbeing by deploying professional mental health therapists on campuses. Concerns Over Institutional Accountability While the bereaved family remains devastated by the sudden loss at one of the nation's premier engineering hubs, the political defense of an accused academic has shifted the spotlight onto broader institutional culture. Observers across social media are questioning whether appeals to personal mental toughness can be used to deflect from serious allegations of harassment and caste discrimination in higher education. Detectives from the Mumbai Crime Branch are actively questioning enrolled students and the professor to ascertain the full sequence of events. What this means for you This tragedy brings heightened scrutiny to mental health support structures, disciplinary protocols, and faculty accountability across premier academic campuses. • For University Students: Campus communities across India will see renewed demands for robust grievance redressal mechanisms and accessible counseling services. Learners facing institutional pressure or discrimination must actively utilize established campus welfare cells and external support networks. • For Families and Parents: Guardians of students enrolled in rigorous technical universities will need to maintain closer emotional contact and monitor psychological wellbeing. Identifying early warnings of campus alienation and academic stress has become a vital priority for families. • For Academic Administrations: Institutions will face increased pressure to train faculty on conducting examinations without using humiliating disciplinary practices. Clear procedural guidelines are likely to be mandated to handle classroom malpractice without triggering severe psychological distress. • For Institutional Governance: The legal trajectory of this investigation will set important benchmarks for how police handle allegations of caste-based harassment on campus. Premier universities may face institutional audits regarding the functioning and responsiveness of their dedicated SC/ST grievance bodies. Why this happened The controversy arises from a confrontation during a university examination coupled with longstanding allegations of faculty harassment. • Immediate Trigger: The student was allegedly caught carrying a smartphone inside the mid-semester examination hall, prompting the invigilator to intervene. Administrative accounts state that the question paper was being uploaded to ChatGPT to obtain solutions prior to the student being told to leave. • Underlying Harassment Allegations: The student's father formally alleged that Professor Suryanarayana Doolla had subjected his son to casteist remarks and emotional harassment over a period of three months. The family maintains that the exam hall incident served merely as a pretext for prolonged victimisation. • Current Investigative Status: In light of the sensitive nature of the allegations and resulting community anger, an FIR was filed and the case transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch. Investigators are currently gathering testimony from fellow students and the accused educator to uncover the exact sequence of events. Questions & Answers 1. Which academic department did the deceased student belong to at IIT Bombay? The student was in the second year of his BTech program within the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. 2. When did the tragic incident take place? The student allegedly died by suicide on the evening of September 18. 3. What allegations were made by the student's father against the professor? The father alleged that Professor Suryanarayana Doolla subjected his son to casteist remarks and mental harassment for three months. 4. What remarks did Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed make regarding the case? She defended the professor, stating that previous generations possessed greater mental strength when facing reprimands. 5. What did IIT Bombay state regarding the examination hall incident? The institute stated that the student was caught with a mobile phone and had uploaded the test paper to ChatGPT for answers. 6. Which agency is currently investigating the case? The investigation has been officially transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch. https://trendkia.com/en/bihar/iit-bombay-chhatra-mauta-mamale-men-prophesara-ke-samarthana-para-kangresa-pravakta-shama-mohamed-ki-khinchai-35719 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.